Resurrection
by ParadoxJoker
Summary: "Actually I was thinking we'd take the Normandy for ourselves and then I could go and shove my boot right up the Illusive Man's ass." AU set during ME2. Garrus/FemShep
1. Chapter 1

It was all her fault, really.

Garrus Vakarian stared down the barrel of his rifle, picking off anyone stupid enough to put their head in view of his scope, and waited to die.

She'd given him a chance to really make a difference, not bogged down by regs and politics, listened to him, even been a damned good friend when he'd had so few. He had found his place in the world, a niche he finally filled perfectly. And then Shepard died.

He took out an engineer that tried to run between covers in a single shot. No pain, no prolonged suffering. Not like Shepard, spending her whole life fighting tooth and nail to be blown into the depths of space, slowly suffocating as air drained from her hardsuit into the void. Not like his own aimless existence.

He took out another merc and watched someone out of range strike up an animated conversation with the gunship mechanic, then returned to his thoughts.

Without Shepard he'd had nowhere to go, nothing to do with himself. Couldn't go back to C-Sec after working with a Spectre and seeing real history made, couldn't go back to Spectre training because he'd seen what the council did every time Shepard had brought them anything. So he'd become a vigilante, and even managed to screw that up. And now he was going to die here.

A spark of electricity drew his eyes to the gunship again, but there was no one in sight now. He drew one of his mandibles back in a smirk, maybe they'd learned their lesson this time. He checked the piles of heat sinks next to him. He might hold out another day before exhaustion and hunger made him sloppy.

Bullets hit the wall next to him and he turned back to his post. They were rushing him now. At least he wouldn't get bored. Then he witnessed three figures toward the back fire on the rest of their party. What the hell was going on?

A salarian, a male human, and a female human in red and grey armor with a shotgun...

"Mordin, watch your six!"

He knew that voice! But it couldn't be. Garrus watched the woman slam headfirst into a merc twice her size with a biotic charge, then turn to splatter the walls with his friends.

That had to be Shepard, he thought, firing a few rounds around her and her allies to keep up appearances. He could wait for an explanation until later. He could feel himself grinning widely under his helmet as he and Shepard laid waste to their enemies, just like the good old days. The others on her team were an afterthought for Garrus. He had a purpose again.

Follow Shepard.

He watched the bridge as she cleared the lower levels, thundering up the stairs with her usual lack of finesse.

"Archangel?"

She didn't even know it was him! Garrus picked off the last mercenary before turning and removing his helmet as she removed hers. Shepard looked almost the same. But he could see from here that whatever she'd been through had taken a toll on her. The fire in her eyes was dimmer.

"Shepard, I thought you were dead." He tried to say it casually.

"Garrus!" Shepard yelled exuberantly, throwing her arms wide. She looked so happy to see him, it made him smile back.

It felt good to talk to her again for the few minutes they had before the seige reconvened. Then it was back to business. They mowed down mercs left and right, looking for a way out. And then he heard the engines.

Garrus had just enough time to turn towards the gunship and see the RPG coming at him before his world went spectacularly bright, then dark. His face hurt. Was he on the ground? His could feel his heart working, pushing more of his blood onto the floor. There were more gunshots. Shepard was screaming and screaming. Was that a hand on his face? He was so cold he couldn't tell. Garrus felt himself slipping away, though he told himself he couldn't die now. Now he had to go with Shepard. Why was it raining inside?

He could not die now.

A/N- I'm doing a few revisions because I just realized I kind of wrote myself into a corner. Nothing too major, don't worry.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N I abstained from one of these last time but I really wanted to thank everyone who read this, especially those who reviewed. I tried writing fanfics for years before now and none of them did NEARLY this well even after I had several chapters. I wasn't sure when to start breaking off from the canon story, but I've decided to do it this chapter. Don't lynch me, I think you'll like it.

Garrus woke sluggishly, unsure where he was. He felt like shit. Well that wasn't terribly surprising, he seemed to remember something about a rocket launcher. He managed to open the eye on the side of his face that did not hurt like hell and glanced around. The Normandy's med bay? Was he dead?

"Mr. Vakarian, I'm so glad to see you awake! Though I hadn't thought you'd be conscious for at least another day. How are you feeling?"

She looked familiar... Normandy's doctor? What was her name again?

"Chakwas, right?" He asked, then winced at the pain on the right side of his mouth. "What are you doing here? Where is here?"

She sat next to his bed and toyed with some kind of equipment, briskly checking his condition as she spoke.

"Well the long and short of it is that this is the new Normandy. Joker and myself are the only members of the original crew who signed on. Except for the Commander, of course. How do you feel?"

"Like my face exploded rather recently. I heard Shepard was dead." He tried moving his hands and feet. They seemed to be working.

"Well..." She stopped what she was doing to look solemnly at him. "She was."

His mandibles clacked in surprise. "But she isn't any more? Typical Commander Shepard."

Chakwas grinned at him as she applied some medigel to his burns. "Yes indeed. But it was Cerberus who brought her back."

He started trying to sit up, though Chakwas glared at him.

"Garrus, I know you're a very strong and hale individual, but please don't get out of bed. You're still terribly hurt! What am I saying, it's not like I can bloody well stop you."

He managed to sit up all the way, leaning against the bulkhead to support himself. "Cerberus? Why the hell would they bring back someone who wanted their organization destroyed?"

Chakwas was giving him something vile to drink now. "I really don't know, but this is their ship and their crew. Technically we work for them now."

She gave him a look that was probably supposed to be significant for humans, then glanced upward and made a hand signal he hadn't seen in a long time. The room was bugged. Probably the rest of the ship too.

"Shepard is in command of course. I know you're going to get up despite my orders, so take the elevator up a level and make a left through the armory. She'll be in there arguing with Jacob. He's 100% Cerberus."

The unspoken warning was to watch his back. He would do so. Garrus stood, bracing himself on the bed until his legs could hold him, then tried to smile at Chakwas. "Thanks for everything Doctor, I'll see you around."

"Garrus."

Her tone made him look back at her.

"You'll have some significant scarring. We've done what we could and it will get better over time but..." Chakwas was looking at him sympathetically.

He hadn't even stopped to think about permanent scarring. It seemed almost insignificant compared to Shepard being alive, Cerberus in control of the Normandy, Cerberus in control of... Shepard? Well that was a load of crap if he'd ever heard it. He gingerly brushed his injured mandible, lost in thought.

"I'd better see you around by tomorrow young man." Chakwas looked at him rather sternly. Perhaps it would be best to leave before she strapped him to the bed for his own good.

He found his armor in the corner and put it on briskly. If this was a Cerberus ship he'd take no chances. He found his way to the elevator easily enough, walking past the mess hall without anyone even noticing him.

"First a salarian, now a turian? This is supposed to be a human ship!"

"Yeah but I hear the turian and the Commander go way back. She seemed real anxious when they brought him in."

"No way, that's bullshit. That tough old bitch doesn't have it in her. She did stay in the medbay all night though."

Garrus growled in frustration as he hit the elevator button and slumped against the wall. He'd have liked to teach those three something about respecting superior officers, but he had to figure out the situation first.

Had she really stayed with him in the medbay? He made his way through the armory as Chakwas described.

"...regain full functionality but..."

He opened the door. The man who'd been speaking was the one from Shepard's squad. Jake something? He ignored him to regard Shepard, who looked up as he entered.

"Garrus, I see you're still a stubborn son of a bitch."

She was smiling at him, like she had before she'd died. Well that was just an odd thought. The human man said something, but he wasn't even bothering to listen. There were some things different about her, but he was having trouble placing the differences, except for an air of despair and frustration. It seemed to have lifted when he came in but-

"Jacob, when I want your opinion, I'll ask for it. Dismissed."

The human man stiffened angrily and left, jostling Garrus on his way out the door. He still couldn't bring himself to care. Shepard was back, she was standing in front of him not ten feet away. And she'd saved his life again, too. Damn.

"I'm glad you're okay, Garrus." She smiled softly at him, before catching herself and changing the subject. "Would anyone on Omega recognize you as Archangel?"

She was doing something subtle with her hands... the same sign as Chakwas'. Not safe to talk here. At least not about anything important.

"I think it's safe to assume anyone who would is dead now."

"Walk with me, then."

He fell in with her immediately, following at the easy distance they had usually used on missions, but she fell back to walk next to him. Garrus suddenly felt uncomfortable.

"So how bad is it?" He blurted out after a few moments of uncomfortable silence in the elevator.

She looked confused. He gestured at his injured face. Shepard gazed at the broken skin for a moment. Had she not noticed?

"I think it gives you character. Besides, we're a matching set now."

He hadn't even realized she'd been scarred up too. The angry lines in her cheeks with cybernetics poking through... She was right, they were quite a pair.

"You look pretty good for someone who used to be dead."

They passed through the airlock onto the station. Shepard shook her head at him. Still not safe to talk?

Shepard led them down to the back of one of the old loading bays that was now a storage area. He followed her between the shipping containers curiously, until they came upon one off to the side that was heavily locked down. Or it was until Shepard passed through the scanner. What was all this?

She gestured for him to enter with her, and looked around as Shepard closed the door and engaged the security again. There wasn't much in here besides a few chairs and a table. The walls were soundproofed, he could tell. Before he could take a closer look he felt a small hand on his arm.

"Are you sure you're all right? Why don't you sit?"

She was worried about him. He moved to one of the chairs as she had asked.

"You couldn't ask after my health on the Normandy?" He quirked one brow at her, trying again to make a joke. It used to cheer her up. Now she seemed even more depressed.

Shepard pulled her own chair over next to his, placing her alien hand on his arm again, sighing.

"The Normandy is not safe, Garrus. It may look secure and pretty and all, but EDI- Cerberus is watching, all the time, all over the ship. I don't want them to have any leverage over us."

He nodded. Made sense. "So... what the hell is going on?"

She tiredly filled him in on recent events, eventually resting her head in her hands and sighing.

"So are we just going to go along with Cerberus?" He asked.

Shepard raised her head to regard him with reddened eyes. "We? You'd come with me?"

"Unless you want me to leave-" It would probably kill him if she sent him away, but he didn't have time to finish that thought. Shepard suddenly seized him around the shoulders and hugged him so hard he could feel both of their sets of armor protesting.

"Thank you, Garrus."

She seemed so... frail just then, and he finally understood. She'd been almost utterly alone since Cerberus had brought her back. He placed his arms around her and did his best not to crush or suffocate her. After a moment Shepard let go and stood, smiling at him with a fierce look he hadn't seen in two years.

"Actually I was thinking we'd take the Normandy for ourselves and then I could go and shove my boot right up the Illusive Man's ass."

He couldn't help it. Garrus began to laugh almost hysterically. It felt good to have a reason to laugh again. "Well now I have to come with you, I'm not going to miss that."

"So we're agreed?"

"Whatever you need done, Shepard. I'm your man." He'd meant it almost as a joke, but her face was serious.

"You always have been, haven't you." It wasn't a question.

"And I always will be, Shepard."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N- Write new chapter, then turn around and write another new chapter! Awesome.

"So how are we going to do this?" Garrus asked, leaning back in the portable chair.

Shepard sat across from him and pulled a few bottles of water out of a crate, tossing him one. It was about the only thing both of them could consume.

"Well, I haven't figured out the details yet. I think Joker and Chakwas will be on board, and maybe some of the other people I'm supposed to recruit, but I wasn't going to do anything drastic without somebody I trust to watch my back in a fight." She nodded at him and took a long drink.

"They gave me back my Spectre status, mostly to shut me up I think. That is very convenient for us, though. Once I get everything in place, I can just seize the ship."

"You never do anything by halves do you, Commander?" His face was killing him, he couldn't stop beaming at her.

"I thought I'd take a page out of your book, Archangel. Like the name by the way, it suits you." She teased him.

"What about the Collectors?" He asked.

"Symptom of the greater disease, at most. I mean, the Illusive Prick never gave me any concrete evidence or intel I could back up. I don't know if I buy that they're in with the Reapers, but even if they are, what are a few human colonies compared to the entire galaxy?"

She really had changed. He remembered when she'd almost shone with idealistic zeal, seeing the good in everyone, following orders from the higher ups almost unquestioningly. Like he was always supposed to have.

"You're not going to try to save the colonies?"

"I'm not going to make it my priority. If I can do something, sure, but it is the Alliance's problem. And I'm not Alliance anymore. They made damn sure of that."

So this is what Shepard meant when she'd told Udina nobody stabbed her in the back.

"If we find anything, I'll pass it along. Maybe someone will even fucking believe me. Probably not. But until we can get of Cerberus' leash, we act like Cerberus expects. Pissed off that we have to work with them, but doing it for the so called greater good."

"And our next step?" He asked.

"We need three things to pull off this... coup? We need to figure out how the ship is registered; how we can take it from Cerberus and still retain it for ourselves. Which means we need someone we can trust to look into that because I don't know a damn thing about it. Second, without Cerberus intel and council interference we're flying blind, so we need an information broker. We also have to have a loyal crew on the Normandy before we take action."

That sounded right. A lot of obstacles, but it would be worth it to be doing what they did best without Cerberus, and he'd bet the council would leave them well enough alone after trying to sweep Shepard under the rug.

"Liara might be able to solve the first two problems at least. She's become an information broker on Illium, home of illicit contracts and barely legal back room deals."

"Then that's our next stop, as soon as we get the chance." She leaned back and closed her eyes.

Unfortunately Shepard was called in to talk to the Illusive Man the second they stepped back on the ship, so Illium was off the table for the moment. They'd briefly discussed his position until their liberation, so he headed towards the main battery with his few possessions. He found a human woman waiting there for him.

"So the mysterious Archangel is really the great Garrus Vakarian, savior of the Citadel and Shepard's old friend. What a happy coincidence."

He found himself hating the brunette instantly, and not just because of the Cerberus logo emblazoned on her jumpsuit.

"So it would seem." He put his gear down in the corner and looked around the room.

"I'm Miranda Lawson, XO of this ship."

He managed to swallow the turian equivalent to a derisive snort, but it was a near thing. XO? That was definitely not Shep's idea.

"Pleased to meet you."

"I'm sure you are. Look I know you and Shepard have had some run ins with our organization before-"

"Spare me, I don't care whose ship this is or who's on it. I'm here because Shepard's here, and that is all we need to discuss."

"I'm so glad we had this chat." She sashayed out, leaving him clenching his fists.

Garrus managed to finish unpacking before Shepard reappeared in his doorway.

"How're you settling in?"

"Fine. I need a cot, though."

"You want to sleep in the battery?" She asked, surprised.

"I'd rather have a cot to myself than share a room with a bunch of men that despise turians." He replied.

"Have they said anything?"

"They don't really need to."

"I'll take care of it then. You realize you'll still have a roomate?"

Garrus cocked his head, confused.

"EDI." Shepard called out. A blue light blinked on in the corner.

Crap, he'd forgotten about the damned AI.

"Hello Commander. Officer Vakarian, welcome aboard the Normandy SR2."

"Thank you, uh, EDI." He replied stiffly. Shepard had not been kidding about the level of surveilance, then. He was skilled enough with tech to know that having the AI wired to this room meant it was probably in all the other rooms. Which meant something sentient was going to literally watch all of them at all times. He was suddenly very glad Shep had reminded him it was there.

"Logging you out, Officer."

"All the same, Commander, I'd rather stay here, with your permission."

"Of course Garrus. By the way, we're en route to a prison ship to pick up a new recruit. Think you'll have healed up enough to go ashore? Should be two days to get there."

"Sure, there's no telling the trouble you'll get into if I'm not there to keep an eye on you."

"Use both eyes, it's probably going to go balls up like every other mission we go on."

"Yes ma'am. By the way, Shepard."

"Yeah, Garrus?"

"What the hell are you wearing?"

He'd intended to tease her about the leather worker's overalls, but the grim look on her face made him want to take it back.

"I don't actually own any clothes any more. Everything they put in my closet has a giant Cerberus insignia on it somewhere, except these."

There was an excruciating silence for a minute.

"I'd lend you some, but I don't really have any either. Maybe we should both just live in our armor."

She did laugh at that one. "Yeah, sounds like a plan. Two paranoid old soldiers, won't come out of their protective turtle shells for anything."

"What's a turtle?"

"Never mind, Garrus. Damn it, it's good to have you back."

She left with a less grim look than she'd entered with, and that was enough for now.

A/N- Yeah, realized we weren't supposed to do Horizon yet and tried to figure out a way around it. Sorry about the edits and the wait, I got stuck.


	4. Chapter 4

When Shepard was around, Garrus let himself believe that his life had become or at least would eventually be tolerable again. But when he was alone except for the silent surveillance watching his every breath, he wondered if this was actually that hell place humans liked to go on about.

He'd been aboard the Normandy SR2 for a day since he'd woken up, and was doing his best to push the horrors of Omega and the massacre of his squad from his mind entirely. If this had been the original Normandy, Garrus would have been able to seek someone out for company at least, if not someone to talk to.

But this was not the original Normandy. Not the REAL Normandy, he kept thinking. There was no Wrex off in the corner, no Tali who'd usually be up late because she couldn't sleep either. There was only Shepard, and he'd be damned if he would wake her up when she'd seemed so tired.

So he lay on his cot behind a few boxes of guns and hardware, and tried desperately not to think about his squad or Sidonis. How the traitor had deceived him, deceived them all, into trusting him. Garrus clenched his fists and tried to breathe deeply to calm himself, but he couldn't. He needed a distraction.

Garrus sat up, his armor squeaking as he rolled his neck to try to get the stiffness out. He'd thought about taking his armor off to sleep, but hadn't been able to shake the suspicion that at least one human on this damned ghost of a Normandy would be quite happy to stab him in the back if the opportunity presented itself.

He opened the door to the mess hall, unsurprised to see the various second-shift humans milling about, ignoring him completely. Apparently the new unofficial Cerberus protocol was to ignore all alien life forms they were supposedly allied with. He couldn't care less. The supply of dextro food was pretty bad, but he'd eaten worse on stakeouts with C-Sec. He grabbed a dry ration bar and a mug of noxious tea-stuff and headed up to the second deck.

Garrus had never really seen the need for Shepard's odd ritual of running around talking to everyone all the time, but right now, he would take any distraction he could get. He strode past the CIC, looking at the star map as he drank his tea, and headed towards the cockpit.

"Garrus, you do know that rockets aren't food, right? I mean, I know turians eat some weird shit, but missiles? Were you not getting enough fiber or something?"

Joker was the same. How nice.

"Mr. Moreau, I do not believe that Officer Vakarian was actually trying to ingest-"

Joker slammed his fist down on his console to cut off the AI, then winced.

"Worth it. So worth it."

Garrus grinned and leaned on the bulkhead. "What's the matter, Joker? Are our new systems not up to your exacting standards?"

"I'd be willing to forget that she existed and go on my merry way, but she just won't be quiet. Nag, nag, nag. This is why I'm single." He sat back in his chair.

"Yeah, that's the reason."

"You just come up here to bust my ass Vakarian, or do you need something?"

"Just settling in."

"By doing the Shepard thing?" Joker grinned at him and Garrus shrugged.

"I didn't really have much else to do."

"Can't sleep?" The teasing tone was gone from his voice. Garrus had forgotten how perceptive Joker could be.

"Probably just the blow to the head."

"Yeah, that's the reason." the pilot bit back at him, then turned back to the console. Not for the first time, Garrus wondered how much Joker knew about what went on aboard the Normandy. He seemed remarkably well informed for someone who never left his chair.

He wandered aimlessly down the other side of the galaxy map to the science lab, thinking he'd check on the requisitions for the Thanix cannon. He had forgotten, however, that salarians only need one hour of sleep.

"Officer Vakarian, or do you prefer Archangel? Regardless, pleasure to formally meet. Mordin Solus, currently Normandy's scientist. Was concerned about your injuries, glad to see Doctor Chakwas is skilled in treating species other than humans for obvious reasons. How are the cybernetics doing?"

It took about ten seconds for Garrus' exhausted brain to catch up with Mordin's mouth.

"Vakarian's fine Doctor. And everything does seem to be working all right."

"Excellent. Some small risk of body rejecting machinery. Seen it happen twice. Very painful. Do you need an anesthetic? Abnormal sleep patterns detrimental to healing process."

"No, just can't seem to stop thinking."

"Understood. Heard about exploits on Omega. Approved of methods. No reasoning with that sort. Omega was a better place once you came. Glad to be working with someone that will get the job done."

"Er, thanks Doctor."

"You are welcome Officer Vakarian. I was also concerned about Commander Shepard."

"Shepard? Why?"

Garrus knew why, really. She looked like hell.

"Never seen anyone rise from the dead. Traumatic at least, could be extremely damaging. You seem close, was hoping you might know if she is all right. Did not want to ask her directly just yet. Shepard is rather intimidating, though I believe she does mean well."

"I don't know yet, and I don't think she'd appreciate it if I told the crew much of anything about her, no matter the reason. She didn't get much privacy before, and now..."

"Ah, yes. AI is useful for research, but believe I would prefer to work alone. Never know what will end up on the extranet, or in the hands of the Illusive Man perhaps. I'm sure you've noticed the crew's reaction to having non-humans aboard."

"Hard not to, Doctor. Stupid of them, really. Shepard's in charge. Did they forget most of her crew from the last Normandy were different species, or did they think she'd change?"

"Unknown, but always admired Shepard's capacity for bringing the races together. Hope the crew will come around."

Garrus suddenly remembered his conversation with Shepard about loyal team members on their side and not Cerberus'.

"Well if you want someone to talk to that won't spit on you for being a salarian, Chakwas and Joker are good sorts... most of the time."

"I will remember that. You should try to get some rest. Prison ship unlikely to be violent endeavor, but best to be prepared."

"It's one of Shepard's missions, doc. I'll bet you 50 creds it turns violent somehow."

"I believe I will defer to your experience and refuse that bet, Officer."

"Good call."

Tossing the remains of his snack away, Garrus headed back to the main battery to try to get some rest again. Maybe they weren't as alone as he had thought.


	5. Chapter 5

The day of the mission to Purgatory finally came. It was supposed to be a simple milk run. Get in, get convict, get out. Easy. Which was precisely why Garrus left the main battery armed to the teeth.

He made his way to the debriefing room, arriving before anyone else as he usually did, and watched the rest file in. Mordin and Jacob came in with minimal fuss and stood waiting for Shepard. Miranda arrived last, narrowing her eyes at the sight of Garrus ready to go before Shepard even picked her squad.

When the Commander finally passed through the doors, all attention immediately went to her.

"Garrus, Mordin. We're docking at the prison ship in one hour. Bring guns."

Her debriefings had never been long or elegant. Once on the old Normandy she'd stuck her head in the door, barked "Garrus! Wrex! Luna! Now! Bring guns!" He and Wrex had laughed about that one for a while. Garrus watched Shepard turn on her heel and march up to her quarters for her gear, then stood to make his way to the docking bay.

A he left, he thought he heard a disgruntled murmur from Jacob.

"Why is she bringing the aliens?"

He shared a look with Mordin as they left, ignoring the almost silent reply from Miranda.

"Because she's Commander goddamn Shepard and we follow her orders."

He grinned as they entered the hallway.

"And they'd better try to remember that."

Mordin glanced at him and offered a small smile before veering off to get suited up.

They returned several hours later exhausted and covered in soot and blood. Mordin was still breathing a little heavily, but Shepard seemed downright happy.

"You know, I think I needed that."

Jack and Mordin looked a bit startled, but Garrus knew better.

"It was rather invigorating wasn't it?"

She grinned her soldier's grin at him and clapped her hand on his shoulder as they entered the CIC.

"Everybody go clean up. Good work."

"Shepard-" Jack looked around, trying to appear more angry than confused.

"Follow me Jack, I'll show you around and get you whatever you need. Shower's this way."

"Does it look like I need fucking girl time Shepard?"

Garrus regarded the tatooed woman cautiously. He could tell that Shepard already liked her, but she was still a loose cannon.

"Does it look like I do girl time, Jack? We all smell like shit, just come on."

Jack's mouth shut with an audible click and she fell in behind Shepard.

"Don't think I've forgotten about those files, Shepard."

"I will be fucking extatic to give you full access as soon as I get all the brain matter out of my hair."

Their banter trailed off as they entered the armory so Shep could remove her hardsuit.

Mordin was blinking rapidly, watching them go, before he abruptly turned to leave without saying anything. He'd get used to how things worked with Shepard in charge soon enough.


	6. Chapter 6

"You know who I miss?"

Hours later Garrus found himself sitting in the mess with Joker, absently tinkering with his omni-tool.

"Hm?"

"Tali."

"I didn't think you two were all that close."

"We weren't really, but the Normandy used to practically dance when she was here, you know?"

Garrus looked sideways at the pilot.

"Didn't take you for a poet."

"I'm not- well- hey if you'd ever flown this ship while Tali was working on the drive core, you'd understand."

He grinned at the flustered human.

"I'm sure."

Several minutes passed in companionable silence before Joker spoke again.

"Besides, she had a great ass."

"I take back what I said before."

"Tell me I'm wrong."

"Well you're not wrong, but still-"

He heard heavy footfalls and turned to see Shepard enter the mess with a heaping plate of noodles. She grinned as she saw him and Joker and sat across from them.

"Hey."

"Hey Commander." Joker said, straightening a bit on the bench.

"Relax and eat your damn food Joker."

"Yes ma'am."

She began resolutely shoveling food into her mouth with military efficiency. After a few bites she paused long enough to speak.

"So we're going after that krogan scientist next. Should be fun. Wrex told me there was no such thing."

"That would've been my bet too." Garrus replied.

"Probably all the trauma from headbutting everything." Shepard joked.

"Think he'll come back?" Joker asked.

"Wrex? Nah, I hear he's all respectable and shit. I reserve the right to tease him mercilessly about that." She replied.

"Liara?"

"Maybe." She slurped up some more noodles. "Tali might too."

"So..." Joker started.

"What?"

"What about Alenko?"

Garrus watched Shepard freeze for a moment, scowl, then continue to eat.

"Dunno."

"Right, not talking about him, then."

The awkward pause as Garrus wondered what exactly had happened between Kaidan and Shepard was broken by the clicking of Miranda's heels.

"The wicked witch approaches." Joker said to Garrus under his breath. Garrus grinned back at him.

"Commander Shepard."

"Yes, Lawson?"

"Could I have a word with you in private?"

"Can it wait until I've eaten my dinner?"

Miranda paused, a slight scowl creeping onto her porcelain face.

"I suppose."

"Then I will see you in my office shortly."

The human woman bristled and walked off without so much as a goodbye. Shepard watched her go pensively.

"You think her tits are filled with anti-gravity matter?"

Joker choked violently on his meatloaf until he could breathe again, then giggled madly.

"Helium. They're really just balloons."

Shepard snorted indelicately. "Say what you want about the Alliance, but that princess would not have made it ten minutes into boot camp."

Garrus chuckled. "I thought it was odd, the way she makes you go to her office all the time."

"Classic human power games. She doesn't do it well."

They finished their dinner in much the same way, joking casually and remembering old friends.

"I will bet you ten credits she wants to go over expense reports." Shepard said, sighing as she put her plate in with the dirty dishes.

"I'm not taking that bet." Garrus replied.

Several hours later he checked his messages.

"Good thing you didn't take the bet."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N- I really wanted to thank Rokubi for giving me the most constructive review I've ever gotten. I will try to work on those things, my frustration with those characters from the games is probably showing through a bit too much.

"You let it out of the tank?" The raised voice so near to his quarters was enough to wake Garrus from a fitful rest.

"Him, he's named himself Grunt."

"Mazel tov, Shepard. But do you know how dangerous that was to the crew of this ship?"

"I took all the necessary precautions, Lawson. I wasn't about to leave him in there."

"Why not? It could have gone berserk and killed the entire crew!"

"So could I, but nobody's stuffing me into a stasis tank. I'd have thought you'd have a little more sympathy, Lawson. His situation's similar enough to your own."

"Just because I was engineered doesn't mean I'm at all like that thing!"

Garrus heard one set of footsteps approaching and one leaving after that. He sat up just as Shepard opened the door.

"Hey Garrus. You mind some company?"

"Sure. What's on your mind?"

She sat on the cot next to him and sighed, burying her head in her hands.

"Everything. Nothing. I'm just frustrated I guess."

"Hmm. I wonder why?" He joked.

"I don't really want to talk about it." She replied, glancing at the AI terminal. "I just needed some company that doesn't want anything from me for once."

"Sure, Shepard."

"And one of these days when I don't feel like a bug under a microscope we'll talk about everything."

"Of course."

"Why do you have to be so agreeable?"

He laughed, gently scratching the bandage on his face.

"Why? Need to hit someone?"

"It would make me feel better."

"Then why don't we spar sometime? Just don't hit me in the face, okay?"

Shepard grinned at him and gripped his hand in hers.

"You're a good friend Garrus, sacrificing your personal health to improve my disposition."

"I don't know Shep, I might knock you on your ass."

"That sounds fantastic, I haven't had a decent hand to hand match in years."

They sat together for a minute enjoying the companionable silence before Shep stood and clapped him on the shoulder.

"There's a human colony in trouble. We're going to check it out next. Maybe after that we can look up Liara. Sound like a plan?"

"Who else are you going to bring?"

"Our new resident krogan, I think. Give him a chance to stretch his legs and join in on all the fun."

"Lawson and Taylor won't like that, Shepard."

"The thing with Lawson and Taylor is that I've got their skills covered. I don't need another vanguard and I don't want to overload on biotics."

"Maybe you should explain that to them, then. Might make things less tense."

"Yeah, I guess you're right, Garrus. I've been a bit pissed off and petty." She opened the door and stepped out. "Night."

"Night Shep."

He sank back onto the cot once she'd left and the door closed, staring at the ceiling, and tried to go back to sleep.


End file.
